Universal Health Services: Utah Halts Admissions to Provo Canyon School, Increases Monitoring following Medical Neglect Suit

June 25, 2026

Utah regulators have imposed emergency conditions on the license of Provo Canyon School after allegations that staff delayed emergency medical treatment for injured residents, prompting renewed scrutiny of the residential treatment center and fueling calls for stronger oversight of the troubled-teen industry.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services ordered the facility to stop admitting new residents temporarily while placing it under heightened state monitoring. The action followed an investigation into an incident in which staff allegedly failed to immediately seek emergency medical care for a seriously injured adolescent. State officials concluded the circumstances warranted emergency intervention while the matter remains under review. (KUTV)

The state's action coincides with two recently filed lawsuits accusing Provo Canyon School of failing to provide appropriate medical care to children in its custody. One lawsuit, filed by the family of a 13-year-old Montana boy, alleges another resident violently threw the child to the ground, leaving him with a fractured jaw and a traumatic brain injury. According to the complaint, staff attempted to manage the incident inside the facility rather than immediately calling 911, delaying the boy's access to emergency treatment. (KUTV)

A second lawsuit alleges that a teenage girl repeatedly complained of severe abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting for more than a week before staff sought hospital care. By the time she was admitted for treatment, the lawsuit claims she had developed acute kidney failure requiring intensive medical intervention. Both families contend the facility failed to recognize the seriousness of their children's medical conditions and delayed obtaining outside care. (KUTV)

The lawsuits received national attention after Paris Hilton traveled to Utah to publicly support both families. Hilton, who spent nearly a year at Provo Canyon School as a teenager in the late 1990s, has long alleged that she was physically abused, placed in solitary confinement, forcibly medicated, and subjected to degrading treatment while at the facility. During a news conference, she urged state regulators to permanently close the school, arguing that recent allegations demonstrate continuing safety concerns despite changes in ownership over the years. (NBC New York)

Hilton has become one of the nation's most prominent advocates for reforming the troubled-teen industry. She has testified before Congress and state legislatures, helping to advance legislation intended to strengthen oversight of youth residential treatment programs in Utah and numerous other states. She said many parents are persuaded by marketing that portrays residential facilities as safe therapeutic environments without fully understanding the potential risks. (The Washington Post)

Provo Canyon School, now operating under different ownership than during Hilton's stay, said it could not discuss the pending lawsuits because of patient privacy laws. In a public statement, the facility said the safety, dignity, and well-being of its residents remain its highest priorities and that it maintains systems designed to protect those in its care. The school has also stated it cannot comment on allegations relating to previous ownership. (The Washington Post)

The emergency licensing conditions are scheduled for further review by state officials, who will determine whether additional enforcement measures are necessary. Meanwhile, advocates, lawmakers, and the families involved continue urging Utah regulators to strengthen oversight of residential treatment programs to better protect vulnerable children placed in their care.

Source: "State places conditions on Provo Canyon School after Paris Hilton backs lawsuits," KUTV, June 2026.